Ethernet PDU service for 5G networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11792883-B2
Application number	US-202117388481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 29, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An Ethernet protocol data unit (PDU) over 5G service is provided. A network device in a core network stores addresses of advertised subnets, associated with multiple user equipment or customer premises equipment (UE/CPE) devices, in a subnet table that correlates a MAC address of each of the multiple UE/CPE devices to a subnet address. The network device receives an allocation and retention priority (ARP) request over a data link layer. The ARP request indicates an IP address for a target host of a data flow. The network device determines, based on the subnet table and the IP address, a MAC address of one UE/CPE device servicing the host address. The network device sends a directed ARP request to the UE/CPE device using the MAC address, receives in response a target MAC address for the target host, and sends a response to the ARP request with the target MAC address.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
storing, by a network device in a core network, addresses of advertised subnets associated with multiple user equipment or customer premises equipment (UE/CPE) devices in a subnet table that correlates a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the multiple UE/CPE devices to one or more subnet addresses,
receiving, by the network device, an allocation and retention priority (ARP) request, wherein the ARP request is received over a data link layer and indicates an Internet Protocol (IP) address for a target host of a data flow;
determining, by the network device and based on the subnet table and the IP address, a MAC address of a UE/CPE device of the multiple UE/CPE devices servicing the host address;
sending, by the network device and using the MAC address, a directed ARP request to the UE/CPE device;
receiving, by the network device and from the UE/CPE device, a target MAC address for the target host; and
sending, by the network device, a response to the ARP request with the target MAC address.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by an access device and via a wireless link, an Ethernet frame from the UE/CPE device directed to the MAC address for the target host.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the multiple UE/CPE devices, control plane signals indicating the subnet addresses associated with each of the multiple UE/CPE devices.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE/CPE device services multiple customers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device includes a user plane function (UPF) associated with a private access point name (APN).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device includes a dedicated MAC address associated with a customer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE/CPE device does not support Layer 3 protocols.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the network device, the target MAC address associated with the IP address for the target host.

9. A network device comprising:
a processor configured to:
store addresses of advertised subnets associated with multiple user equipment or customer premises equipment (UE/CPE) devices in a subnet table that correlates a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the multiple UE/CPE devices to one or more subnet addresses,
receive an allocation and retention priority (ARP) request, wherein the ARP request is received over a data link layer and indicates an IP address for a target host of a data flow;
determine, based on the subnet table and the IP address, a MAC address of a UE/CPE device of the multiple UE/CPE devices servicing the host address;
send, using the MAC address, a directed ARP request to the UE/CPE device;
receive, from the UE/CPE device, a target MAC address for the target host; and
send a response to the ARP request with the target MAC address.

10. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive an Ethernet frame directed to the MAC address for the target host, wherein the Ethernet frame is provided from the UE/CPE device to an access device via a wireless cellular connection.

11. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the UE/CPE device services multiple subnets for the same customer.

12. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the network device includes a user plane function (UPF) of a core network.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the UPF is assigned a dedicated MAC address.

14. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
store the target MAC address associated with the IP address for the target host.

15. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the UE/CPE device services multiple hosts for a single customer.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a network device, which when executed cause the network device to:
store addresses of advertised subnets associated with multiple user equipment or customer premises equipment (UE/CPE) devices in a subnet table that correlates a Media Access Control (MAC) address of each of the multiple UE/CPE devices to one or more subnet addresses;
receive an allocation and retention priority (ARP) request, wherein the ARP request is received over a data link layer and indicates an IP address for a target host of a data flow;
determine, based on the subnet table and the IP address, a MAC address of a UE/CPE device of the multiple UE/CPE devices servicing the host address;
send, using the MAC address, a directed ARP request to the UE/CPE device;
receive, from the UE/CPE device, a target MAC address for the target host; and
send a response to the ARP request with the target MAC address.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
receive, from the multiple UE/CPE devices, advertisements for the subnet addresses associated with each of the multiple UE/CPE devices.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
receive an Ethernet frame directed to the MAC address for the target host, wherein the Ethernet frame is provided from the UE/CPE device to an access device via a wireless cellular connection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the network device includes a user plane function (UPF) of a core network.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the UPF and each of the multiple UE/CPE devices have a dedicated MAC address.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Joshi Kiritkumar
• Verger Jose M
• Patel Samirkumar

Classifications

• H04W80/02 Primary

  Data link layer protocols · CPC title

• H04L61/4552

  Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04W40/248 Primary

  Connectivity information update · CPC title

• H04L2101/668

  Internet protocol [IP] address subnets · CPC title